prh

I’m flying to ICN from KOA in business class on a Hawaiian miles ticket in a couple of months. When I made the reservation, i booked flights which had a connecting time in HNL of approximately an hour and 40 minutes. A couple of weeks ago, the flights changed so the connecting time is now approximately an hour and 20 minutes. There is an earlier KOA to HNL flight that would lead to a two hour layover. While there are seats to purchase, my effort to use the Chat option to make the mileage award change failed. I’m guessing 1:20 is a legal connecting time, so I’m anssuming I’m out of luck. I had open heart surgery a year ago, so I don’t move as fast as before. Anyone think I could leverage that into a rebooking on the earlier KOA-HNL flight.

MDTyKe

It looks like they made a few schedule changes for sure - I had a similar situation for December when it's changed by around 20 minutes too. That said, perhaps just call HA and ask - but check if award availability is available in the same bucket on the earlier interisland. Honestly though, even with your surgery 1h20 really is fine - the KOA-HNL's almost always land early, and your bag will be through-checked. Just grab the Wiki Wiki upstairs near the Plumeria lounge (since that's the only lounge you'll have access to anyway) and it'll take you over to the Int'l terminal in 5 minutes. You just have less lounge time, but you're not missing much anyway

prh

mahalo.

willoL

There is also no shame in requesting wheelchair assistance if you have a health issue.

Speaking from experience, I have felt embarrassed and conspicuous as a merely middle aged person being wheeled to my gate, but my chronic condition means overexerting myself can have a tremendous cost. In large, sprawling airports--or anytime I don't know the airport layout well enough to assess distances for myself--I always request the service. You can decline the wheelchair at the gate if it turns out you have plenty of time and are feeling better than expected.

I only book connections over two hours now, because I strongly prefer getting myself between gates, but the airlines WILL change schedules, and their minimum legal connection times are based on fully able adults walking swiftly from Point A to Point B.

747FC

If memory serves, the downstairs lounge also takes F passengers in transit....

MDTyKe

Really? I was denied access to it on HA F->HA C before.

747FC

Well, I’ve never transited in HNL, but. I have used the lounge while traveling interisland F and also transpacific C. It has been awhile so maybe times have changed.

MDTyKe

Interesting - that's what I was doing. All said, unless things have changed, the Plumeria upstairs considered superior. Shame though as the location of the downstairs one is prime!

747FC

when you tried using downstairs lounge, did you show your F or C boarding pass? Was it just one agent /one occasion?

WrightHI

Read literally, their access policy does appear to limit long-haul business class to the Plumeria lounge and exclude from Premier Club: https://hawaiianair.custhelp.com/app...tail/a_id/3319. Somewhat bizarre, but HA is like that sometimes.

Baze

Correct. The Premier Club downstairs allows inter island F, long haul C/F needs to use the Plumeria Lounge upstairs.

prh

The IASS Lounge (downstairs) is available to Priority Select card holders.

747FC

Was there today. Very crowded. They only have juice and soda and coffee. Plumeria lounge had 30 min waitlist.